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Wonder Woman 2: Brett Ratner Won't Be Involved [Updated]

According to a new report, Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot is unwilling to return for the sequel if Brett Ratner remains involved with the franchise. Gadot is likely negotiating from a position of strength, considering just how massive a critical and commercial hit that the first Wonder Woman film became. Gadot is now clearly one of the most valuable players within the DCEU, and any attempt to replace her as Diana would surely earn widespread derision from fans.

Prolific producer and director Ratner was of course recently accused of sexual harassment and/or misconduct by multiple women, and occupies a spot on the seemingly endless list of powerful Hollywood figures to be accused of such abhorrent behavior since the allegations against Harvey Weinstein served to open the floodgates. Ratner's RatPac-Dune company helped produce Wonder Woman via a co-financing deal with Warner Bros., with Ratner himself reportedly taking home a substantial sum as a result.

According to Page Six, Gadot is refusing to sign on for another Wonder Woman solo film unless Ratner and his company are completely cut out of the franchise financially. Warner Bros. recently opted not to renew their first-look deal with Ratner, but their co-financing deal with RatPac-Dune still remains in effect for now. Reps for Gadot and Ratner have yet to comment on the report, and a rep for Warner Bros. called the story "false." Despite that, it appears that Page Six is standing by its reporting.

[UPDATE: A spokesperson for WB has denied to Business Insider that the Page Six report is accurate. However, Ratner and WB's deal will have expired before Wonder Woman 2 hits theaters anyway. The rest of this article has been left as it was originally published.]

Assuming the Page Six report is indeed true, it's not surprising to see Gadot try and force Ratner out of Wonder Woman's orbit, as the actress recently backed out of an appearance at a event where she was set to present Ratner with an award. While the current allegations against Ratner weren't yet public at that point, clearly there was already word going around in the industry about what revelations might soon be coming out concerning him. Gadot has also been a strong voice against sexual harassment since the Weinstein accusations first broke, and even recently described how she thought Wonder Woman herself might handle such predatory behavior.

At the end of the day, if Gadot really does want Ratner removed from Wonder Woman 2, it's hard to imagine that he won't be. To much of the current generation of moviegoers, Gadot is already synonymous with the Amazonian princess, and trying to do a sequel without her would likely be a fool's errand. It may cost Warner Bros. money to buy Ratner out of their co-financing deal, but that loss would probably be offset by the profits likely to be earned by another Wonder Woman adventure.